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← LOWELL OBSERVATORY

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by LOWELL OBSERVATORY.

Totals

Total revenue
$19,557,310
Total expenses
$22,235,112
Contributions and grants received
$12,790,757
Grants paid
$218,400
Program service revenue
$5,821,022
Investment income
$110,653
Other revenue
$834,878
Total assets, end of year
$97,935,622
Total liabilities, end of year
$52,046,643
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$45,888,979
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$18,305,290
Management and general expenses
$2,252,876
Fundraising expenses
$1,676,946
Program service expenses (Part III)
$18,305,290

Program services were 82.3% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1b · Membership dues

    $712,184

  • 1d · Related organizations

    $5,809,765

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,683,667

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $4,585,141

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $66,724

  • 2a · Program service revenue: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

    total $4,135,460 · related or exempt $4,135,460

  • 2b · Program service revenue: TELESCOPE ACCESS FEES

    total $1,685,562 · related or exempt $1,685,562

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $25,716 · excluded $25,716

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $235,358

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $166,053

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $69,305

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $69,305 · excluded $69,305

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $86,865

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $1,928

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $84,937

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $84,937 · excluded $84,937

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $1,140,713

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $458,673

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $682,040 · related or exempt $682,040

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS INCOME

    total $83,533 · related or exempt $83,533

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $83,533

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $218,400 · program services $218,400

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,265,955 · program services $582,857 · management and general $462,624 · fundraising $220,474

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $8,664,812 · program services $7,454,774 · management and general $501,609 · fundraising $708,429

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $393,113 · program services $335,076 · management and general $26,383 · fundraising $31,654

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $771,011 · program services $640,746 · management and general $65,804 · fundraising $64,461

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $893,945 · program services $719,289 · management and general $91,948 · fundraising $82,708

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $153,962 · program services $235 · management and general $153,727

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $73,950 · management and general $73,950

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $57 · management and general $57

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $414,247 · program services $270,421 · management and general $86,513 · fundraising $57,313

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $485,602 · program services $198,085 · management and general $251,679 · fundraising $35,838

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $895,817 · program services $704,895 · management and general $21,022 · fundraising $169,900

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $412,134 · program services $137,055 · management and general $151,646 · fundraising $123,433

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $866,117 · program services $715,176 · management and general $88,067 · fundraising $62,874

  • 17 · Travel

    total $227,013 · program services $166,146 · management and general $24,988 · fundraising $35,879

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $147,066 · program services $130,041 · management and general $15,997 · fundraising $1,028

  • 20 · Interest

    total $1,028,181 · program services $995,947 · management and general $32,234

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $3,920,892 · program services $3,801,661 · management and general $65,751 · fundraising $53,480

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $921,757 · program services $909,832 · management and general $8,531 · fundraising $3,394

  • 24a · Other expenses: REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

    total $234,026 · program services $227,457 · management and general $6,236 · fundraising $333

  • 24b · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $94,808 · program services $40,445 · management and general $46,464 · fundraising $7,899

  • 24c · Other expenses: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMEN

    total $88,618 · program services $17,858 · management and general $68,311 · fundraising $2,449

  • 24d · Other expenses: EE RECRUITMENT AND RELO

    total $41,428 · program services $33,289 · management and general $8,139

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $22,201 · program services $5,605 · management and general $1,196 · fundraising $15,400

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $844,868 · end of year $256,765

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $132,940 · end of year $1,513,671

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $11,034,634 · end of year $9,285,637

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $159,395 · end of year $108,550

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $128,622 · end of year $221,204

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $580,418 · end of year $429,247

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $121,264,218

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $35,708,518

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $89,125,030 · end of year $85,555,700

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $20,539 · end of year $0

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $592,457 · end of year $564,848

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $3,909,128 · end of year $696,088

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $6,981,215 · end of year $6,382,367

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $12,004,059 · end of year $15,038,066

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $30,939,840 · end of year $29,930,122

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $46,101,630 · end of year $42,756,963

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,683,031 · end of year $3,132,016

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

THE MISSION OF LOWELL OBSERVATORY IS TO PURSUE THE STUDY OF ASTRONOMY, ESPECIALLY THE STUDY OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND ITS EVOLUTION; TO CONDUCT PURE RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA; AND TO MAINTAIN QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO BRING THE RESULTS OF ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH TO THE PUBLIC.

Activities or mission (Part I)

LOWELL'S MISSION IS TO PURSUE THE STUDY OF ASTRONOMY, CONDUCT RESEARCH, AND BRING ASTRONOMICAL EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC.

  • CONTINUING A MORE THAN 130-YEAR-LONG LEGACY OF ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERY, LOWELL OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMERS, PLANETARY SCIENTISTS, AND OTHER RESEARCHERS CONDUCTED FOREFRONT RESEARCH IN MANY AREAS OF ASTRONOMY FROM THE SUN AND OUR SOLAR SYSTEM TO EXOPLANETS, STARS, GALAXIES, AND COSMOLOGY. IN 2025, LOWELL SCIENTISTS PUBLISHED OVER 125 PEER-REVIEWED SCHOLARLY ARTICLES IN LEADING SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS, ALONG WITH ANOTHER 40+ ARTICLES IN OTHER VENUES. LOWELL SCIENTISTS ALSO GAVE NUMEROUS PRESENTATIONS AT SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES AND PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS AND PARTICIPATED IN MAJOR SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS USING WORLD-LEADING TELESCOPES ACROSS THE GLOBE AND IN SPACE. LOWELL SCIENTIFIC STAFF CONTINUE TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL AT OBTAINING GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR RESEARCH FROM NASA, THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, AND OTHER AGENCIES.THE 4.3-METER LOWELL DISCOVERY TELESCOPE (LDT) DELIVERED APPROXIMATELY 260 SCIENCE NIGHTS USED BY ASTRONOMERS ON THE STAFF AT LOWELL, AND OUR PARTNER INSTITUTIONS: BOSTON UNIVERSITY, NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, YALE UNIVERSITY, AND OTHERS. IN TOTAL, THE LDT FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN NEARLY 50 SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS. THE LDT'S GROWING SUITE OF STATE-OF-THE-ART INSTRUMENTS, SUCH AS THE HIGH-PRECISION SPECTROGRAPH EXPRES, ENABLE CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH ACROSS MULTIPLE FIELDS, INCLUDING THE SEARCH FOR EXOPLANETS. LOWELL OBSERVATORY ALSO CONTINUED TO OPERATE OTHER SMALLER RESEARCH TELESCOPES AT ITS ANDERSON MESA AND MARS HILL SITES; AT THE MESA THEY ARE OPERATING A MODERN 1-METER TELESCOPE EQUIPPED WITH BOTH IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPIC CAPABILITIES. ACCESS TO LOCAL TELESCOPES EQUIPPED WITH WORLD-CLASS INSTRUMENTS HAS ENABLED SCIENCE THAT COULD NOT BE DONE ELSEWHERE. IN 2025, LOWELL OBSERVATORY CONTINUED TO ADVANCE ITS SCIENCE VISION, A LONG-TERM PLAN TO ENHANCE ITS OBSERVATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE. THIS STRATEGIC INITIATIVE OUTLINES MAJOR NEW GOALS, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES TO THE LDT, THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEXT-GENERATION INSTRUMENTATION, NEW PATHWAYS FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, AND EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF ASTRONOMERS AND ENGINEERS. IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS CONTINUED IN 2025, INCLUDING SUPPORTING ITS CADRE OF EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS (ESPECIALLY THE PERCIVAL LOWELL POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS), BRINGING NEW LDT OBSERVING CAPABILITIES ONLINE, AND ADVANCING THE DESIGN FOR SEVERAL FUTURE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS.LOWELL OBSERVATORY REMAINS COMMITTED TO PIONEERING RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND SHARING DISCOVERY WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

    Expenses $9,774,402 · Grants $218,400 · Revenue $1,769,095

  • IN 2025, LOWELL OBSERVATORY'S PUBLIC PROGRAMS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED FROM A PERIOD OF MAJOR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION TO FULL-SCALE OPERATION OF THE MARLEY FOUNDATION ASTRONOMY DISCOVERY CENTER (ADC). THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE FOR THIS PERIOD WAS TO LEVERAGE OUR EXPANDED CAPACITY TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT IN ASTRONOMY AND TO PROVIDE IMMERSIVE, NARRATIVE-DRIVEN EXPERIENCES THAT CONNECT VISITORS WITH THE OBSERVATORY'S ONGOING RESEARCH AND THEIR INNATE CURIOSITY ABOUT THE COSMOS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL REMAINS TO INSPIRE CURIOSITY AND PROVIDE WORLD-CLASS STEM EDUCATION TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE WHILE PRESERVING FLAGSTAFF'S HERITAGE AS THE WORLD'S FIRST INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY CITY.LOWELL OBSERVATORY WELCOMED AN ESTIMATED 141,000 VISITORS IN 2025. THE QUALITY OF THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WAS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY, WITH THE OBSERVATORY BEING NAMED ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S "WORLD'S GREATEST PLACES AND NEWSWEEK'S "BEST SCIENCE MUSEUM IN THE U.S." FOR 2025.2025 MARKED THE INAUGURAL FULL YEAR OF PROGRAMMING IN THE 40,200-SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY. THE LOWELL UNIVERSE THEATER, FEATURING ITS 160-DEGREE LED WRAP-AROUND SCREEN, HOSTED AN ESTIMATED 1,200 LIVE PRESENTATIONS. THE DARK SKY PLANETARIUM, A UNIQUE OPEN-AIR ROOFTOP VENUE, PROVIDED NIGHTLY GUIDED TOURS OF THE COSMOS TO OVER AN ESTIMATED 90,000 GUESTS, UTILIZING FLAGSTAFF'S PREMIER NIGHT SKY.EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING REACHED RECORD LEVELS IN 2025. AN ESTIMATED 11,000 SCHOOLCHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN ON-SITE FIELD TRIPS AND SPECIALIZED, CURRICULUM-BASED TOURS. THE LOWELL OBSERVATORY ORBITS CURIOSITY CAMPS EXPANDED TO MEET HIGH DEMAND, SERVING OVER AN ESTIMATED 300 CHILDREN, WHILE THE NATIVE AMERICAN ASTRONOMY OUTREACH PROGRAM CONTINUED ITS MISSION BY CONNECTING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NAVAJO AND HOPI NATIONS.

    Expenses $8,530,888 · Revenue $4,817,500

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Amanda Bosh

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/COO

    Total calculated
    $241,104
    From this org
    $206,898
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $34,206
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $206,898
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,755
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,451
    Filer's total
    $241,104

  • Leslie Currie

    CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $216,071
    From this org
    $190,704
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $25,367
    Hours/week
    38 + 2 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $190,704
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,674
    Nontaxable benefits
    $15,693
    Filer's total
    $216,071

  • Stephen Levine

    DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

    Total calculated
    $206,563
    From this org
    $184,546
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,017
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $184,546
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,315
    Nontaxable benefits
    $12,702
    Filer's total
    $206,563

  • Anne Labruzzo

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $205,272
    From this org
    $182,124
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,148
    Hours/week
    36 + 4 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $182,124
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,239
    Nontaxable benefits
    $13,909
    Filer's total
    $205,272

  • Deidre Hunter

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $200,925
    From this org
    $176,393
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,532
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $176,393
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,845
    Nontaxable benefits
    $15,687
    Filer's total
    $200,925

  • Kyler Kuehn

    DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY + DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE

    Total calculated
    $199,131
    From this org
    $162,332
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $36,799
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $162,332
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,701
    Nontaxable benefits
    $28,098
    Filer's total
    $199,131

  • Philip Massey

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $199,084
    From this org
    $181,664
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,420
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $181,664
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,941
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,479
    Filer's total
    $199,084

  • Michael West

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $189,321
    From this org
    $177,551
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $11,770
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $177,551
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,845
    Nontaxable benefits
    $2,925
    Filer's total
    $189,321

  • William Grundy

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $186,172
    From this org
    $152,491
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $33,681
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $152,491
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,190
    Nontaxable benefits
    $25,491
    Filer's total
    $186,172

  • Lisa A Prato

    ASTRONOMER

    Total calculated
    $178,824
    From this org
    $157,275
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,549
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $157,275
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,019
    Nontaxable benefits
    $13,530
    Filer's total
    $178,824

  • Cody Half-Moon

    CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $176,742
    From this org
    $160,105
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,637
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $160,105
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,637
    Filer's total
    $176,742

  • Lowell Putnam

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $21,069
    From this org
    $12
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,057
    Hours/week
    30 + 4 related

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

  • NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

    $111,531

    NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

  • PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE

    $67,405

    NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

  • SETI INSTITUTE

    $24,465

    NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

  • UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND - COLLEGE PARK

    $14,999

    NASA GRANT - SUBAWARD COLLABORATION RESEARCH

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
Filed
21 July 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202642049349301294

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